


There's a Magic in Kissing

by Amari



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: College AU, M/M, Magic Tricks, Pranks, and a touch of spiderman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-31
Updated: 2014-03-31
Packaged: 2018-01-17 15:51:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1393498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amari/pseuds/Amari
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"There’s a very powerful magic behind kisses.” Joel smiled at Ray, who immediately blushed and turned away, the folded playing card still stuck between his teeth. This wasn’t a magic trick, no way, it was just a weirdo that wanted to steal kisses.</p>
            </blockquote>





	There's a Magic in Kissing

In most colleges, there are high traffic areas. It’s a place where it feels like person after person walks along after class. It’s a zombie walk of students trudging along to their next class. These areas are typically around a crosswalk, halting traffic as a result. This is also the perfect place for people to stand around and promote their right to free speech on their soap boxes, telling all the students to drop out and serve god (and that’s the nicest thing they say). If they aren’t screaming, strangers are handing out football schedules. Most of the time Ray just had his head down, hoping a car wouldn’t plow him down in frustration. He didn’t want to deal with the sandwich board screamers and the old men that don’t know what personal space is.

Today was a little different than most. A high-pitched shriek made Ray snap his head upward as he was in the middle of the large crosswalk. From what he saw, there was a long haired pretty girl squirming around with a playing card in her hand, and a man with a red deck and a shit eating grin. This man looked like an interesting older college student. His hair was short and black, sticking up in whatever way it felt like. His narrow eyes had small little crinkles as he smiled at the girl who now walked away in an embarrassed huff. His jaw was strong, with a teeny bit of hair decorated on it. He had a grey school hoodie that looked like it had survived many adventurous nights, and he probably couldn’t afford a new one.

By the time Ray had stepped on the sidewalk, the two of them had made eye contact. The man’s eyes beckoned him closer, and Ray followed without struggle.

“Wanna see a cool magic trick?” The man asked with a tilt of his head and a smooth shuffle of his cards. “Trust me, you’ll be impressed.”

Ray smirked, checking his phone quickly. He had the time to spare, so why not? “That last girl seemed pretty impressed that she stormed off.”

“She couldn’t handle how amazing it was.”

“Right.”

"By the way, my name is Joel." Joel fanned out his deck of cards. “Take any card you want.” Ray carefully plucked the card and looked at it. The ornate woman on the other side was none other than the Queen of Hearts.

“Aw man.” The magician  said, handing Ray a fat sharpie marker, “Looks like we are going to have to kill her, hunh? Such a pretty lady. What a shame. Write your name on the card. It’s sharpie so it’s not going to come off.”

The man picked his own card and showed it to Ray. Two of Clubs. He took the marker and wrote his own name on it. Joel. He swiped his finger on the surface to reassure him that the name wasn’t going to come off. He then took Ray’s card, folded it, shoved it between Ray’s teeth, and told him to bite on it. Like an obedient child, he did.

"There’s a very powerful magic behind kisses." Joel smiled at Ray, who immediately blushed and turned away, the folded playing card still stuck between his teeth. This wasn’t a magic trick, no way, it was just a weirdo that wanted to steal kisses. “I’m going to need you to shove the card all the way in your mouth, and I’m going to kiss you.”

“This better be one hell of a trick.” Ray said, turning back to look at Joel. “I’m not making out with you though.”

“It’s just a cute little peck, okay? And you’ll love it.” Joel folded his own card and shoved it in his mouth, and leaned forward a little. Ray’s immediate instinct was to back up a little, dodging Joel’s incoming lips. A hand came around the back of Ray’s head and stilled him just long enough for Joel to swoop in and give him an adorable peck on the lips. The contact lasted less than a second, but it sent tingles all down Ray’s body.

Before Ray could squeal about getting kissed, Joel opened his mouth and removed the card. He unfolded it carefully and showed it to Ray. There was no mistaking the red lady, nor Ray’s signature scrawled in the middle of the card. It was his card.

What?

Ray scrambled to take his own card out of his mouth, and unfolded it. Two of clubs, with Joel’s signature.

“Oh my god!” Ray shouted in disbelief. “How in the fuck did you do that?” He was certain that he was probably squirming just like the girl before him. Not to mention he was laughing uncontrollably.

Joel once again had that absolute shit eating grin on his face. He put a finger to his lips and tapped them. “A magician never kisses and tells his secrets. But feel free to keep the card, I can’t use it again.”

With that, the magician wandered down the sidewalk to his next victim.

\--

It was a week before Ray saw Joel the “Magician” again. His first encounter with the guy made for interesting conversations the rest of the day. A few of his buddies asked him if it was weird kissing another dude. Truthfully, at the time he didn’t even think of it as kissing another man. Really, it was just a kiss, but it didn’t feel bad. It felt good, kinda tingly, like most kisses feel.

Upon seeing Joel in the same spot as before Ray could have sworn he felt that very same tingle in his lips again. That feeling was quickly brushed away as Ray spotted the bright red deck in Joel’s fingers. This time Ray didn’t see the aftermath of Joel’s previous trick, but Ray could tell he was scouting out his next victim. Well, if he had another trick up his sleeve, volunteering wouldn’t hurt, would it?

“I hope you’ve got a new trick today.” Ray stated as he strolled up to the other man.

Joel smiled and twiddled the deck, “Hey! I remember you from last week. I do indeed have a new trick; I hope you’d like to try it out? And trust me, it’s a shocker.”

“Oh man. I’m excited already.” Ray said sarcastically. Joel shook his head, trying to hide the smile that was working his way on his lips.

“You’d better be. In this trick, I’m going to read your mind through your lips.”

“You’re going to kiss me again? We really should go on a date first.”

“Ah. It’s just where a person’s magic is stored, my friend. I can’t help it.”

They both chuckled. Joel then shuffled the top of his deck and told Ray to take a card. The card Ray plucked was the ace of diamonds. Joel reassured Ray that he had no idea what Ray’s card was, but he’d find out through a quick peck on the lips. Joel put the card back in the deck and told Ray to hold on to the other end of the deck of cards.  Ray’s fingers wrapped around the vinyl and held on. Joel then told Ray that he’d feel when the magic had worked.

“You ready?” Joel asked Ray.

“Yup.” Ray answered as his eyes fluttered closed.

Remember that neat little game in elementary school? That thing were a friend told you to close your eyes, and they would try and poke you between the eyes. You were supposed to tell them to stop when you could ‘feel’ their finger, and the person who could feel the finger farthest away was somehow the coolest person ever?  Well, even if you don’t know, it was as if Ray’s entire face could feel Joel slowly inch forward. Like every tiny hair on his face was reaching out to the other body.

The peck on Ray’s lips left the same excited tingle they did before. And his eyes fluttered open to a Joel that was looking at Ray with an intense expression.

“Hm… was your card the five of diamonds?” Joel asked, squinting at this point.

Ray shook his head and laughed, “Nope. Not even close.”

“Well, I can’t say that was my fault. I didn’t feel the magic. Did you?”

Ray laughed again, “Nah, I guess I didn’t.”

“Okay.” Joel shifted his hands on the deck, “One more, and put all your magic in your lips this time.”

“You’re blaming me?”

“Yep. It’s totally your fault. Now I know you’ll get it right this time though.”

“Riiiggghht.” Ray said before closing his eyes again.

Ray waited for the kiss a little more eagerly this time. Wanting Joel to just bend down already and plant a kiss on his lips. To feel their slightly chapped surface for that fraction of a second once again. He wanted to forget that this was a magic trick, and wanted more from it. The slight disturbance of air in front of his face let Ray know that Joel was getting closer. Closer and closer.

And then he felt the slight touch to his bottom lip. And then a spark. Not a spark in a romantic sense. No. He literally felt an electric shock rip through his lip, and his entire body jerked away. It was an awful sting that was accompanied by his loud noise of surprise.

“Holy shit! What was that?” Ray nearly shrieked as he rubbed his bottom lip.  His mouth was tingling now in a different sense of the word.

Joel merely shrugged, acting like he didn’t feel the shock, “That’s the feeling of magic! And by the way, your card was the ace of diamonds.”

Ray grumbled that he was right, and Joel laughed at his response. Any further attempt by Ray to ask what had happened was only laughed off by Joel. His lips were sealed by a powerful magic, and he wouldn’t dare try and break the seal, he said. Joel offered to kiss him again, to see if he could figure it out.

“I’m done with your lip whoring for one day, Joel.” Ray stated.

“Fair enough.” Joel spoke before he wandered off again, but this time he actually said a proper goodbye.

\--

The next week, Ray figured that Joel would probably be in the same spot, and he actually went looking for him this time. He was drawn to the man there was no point in denying it now. And much to his surprise, he actually found Joel. But instead of a deck of cards in his hands, he had his phone. He was surrounded by a group of giggling girls, and they seemed to be in utter awe of him. Ray figured that this week’s trick wasn’t a play of cards.

Ray waited patiently for the group of girls to disperse before walking up to Joel. He approached him just as casually as before. That tingle on his lips drew him forward but then the memory of the electric shock made him grimace.

“What a face you wear today.” Joel teased.

“I was just thinking of how you zapped me last week. Also, hello.”

“Hello to you too.”

“So uh,” Ray gestured to the phone in his hand, “No tricks today and just getting ladies numbers or do you have something up your sleeve?”

Joel shrugged, “Well, I can’t say it’s as shocking as before, but it’s definitely a neat trick, and in a way I am getting people’s numbers too.”

“Ooh, multitasker.”

“I know, I’m so skilled.”

“Alright master magician, what’s today’s trick then?” Ray asked pushing the conversation away from the witty banter.

“Well you see,” Joel started tapping at his phone, “I’m going to ask you some questions, and we are going to determine your next kiss.”

Ray started chuckling, knowing just where this trick was going to end up. But if there’s anything he’s learned so far, is not it’s not always the destination, but how you get there. He told Joel that he’d be up for it, and Joel was pleased.

The questions weren’t anything complicated, just when he had his first kiss (12), how he’d rate his first kiss (2), how he’d rate himself as a kisser now (7.2), when his last kiss was (Joel snickered when Ray answered with ‘seven days ago’), and a few other questions. Joel multiplied the numbers, and it came to somewhere in the billions. Ray was told that he was supposed to call the number, and tell whoever answered on the other end that they were going to be their next kiss.

“Goddammit.” Ray cursed as he typed the numbers into his phone. He raised the phone to his ear, and sure enough, just like he expected, Joel’s phone started ringing. “Goddammit.” He repeated, smiling like an idiot.

“Hold on one second.” Joel acted like he wasn’t expected his phone to go off. He answered the phone genuinely. “Hello?”

 _“Hello?”_ Echoed in Ray’s ear. Ray at this point he was laughing so hard he couldn’t respond. Joel continued to hello into the phone. Eventually he asked if the person on the other line was okay, because it sounded like they couldn’t breathe.

“You asshole. I knew it.” Ray said, wiping a tear from his eye.

“Well that’s not every nice, and I’m pretty sure that’s not what you’re supposed to tell me.” Joel said, laughing a little himself.

“Hey, guess what, asshole, you’re supposed to be my next kiss.” Ray said into his phone before standing directly in front of Joel. He dropped his phone to his side. “Better?”

Joel hung up his own phone, “Much.”

The kiss was quick and sweet, just like all the others had been. But this time, Ray noticed a tiny amount of force that had been absent before. It was like their lips had truly connected. More weight on his lips than that of a simple trick.

Of course, that also could have been Ray’s imagination wanting more than what was actually there.

“Alright, I have to say that was neat, but it wasn’t as mind-blowing as your previous tricks. You gotta step up your game, dude.” Ray commented after the kiss.

Joel nodded in agreement, “Yeah, I wouldn’t have so much called that one a magic trick, but more of a prank. Honestly, the next one is definitely not even going to touch the category of ‘magic’ either.”

“Are people going to still be surprised?”

“Oh definitely.”

\--

Ray couldn’t deny that he was smitten by the odd magician of kisses. He seemed so weird, yet right up Ray’s alley. He wanted to know more about Joel, but he never ran into him on campus. It’s like he didn’t exist. A true disappearing act.

Yet, the next week rolled around, and part of Ray expected him to be right there, on the same spot as he had been the three previous weeks. There was, however, no trace of the man to be seen. Instead, Ray noticed a man with a clipboard standing near the doors to the sports building on the other side. This man was of a chubbier build than Joel, but not by much. He had nicely combed red hair and a big beard. He looked like a cuddly lion.

He waved Ray down with his clipboard. “Hey, want to participate in a small little survey?”

Normally, Ray would just walk past, pretending he never heard the man call out to him in the first place. Today was already different though, with the apparent lack of Joel; so why not make it even more different? Ray smiled politely and wandered over to the man.

“Hi there, my name’s Jack, and this is the first question: What’s your name? Just the first name will do.” He was very friendly, Ray decided.

“Ray.” Ray answered.

The questionnaire was a little odd, like he was making up some of the questions on the spot. Like which foot he preferred to have a sock on, or if it’s possible to brush your teeth backwards. The questions had Ray giggling, and they kept going until the topic went to something that signaled something in his head.

“Now, you’d say that you’re a fan of spiderman, wouldn’t you?” Jack asked curiously.

“I certainly wouldn’t squish him if I saw him on my walls.” Ray answered with a shrug.

“Would you kiss spiderman? Like, upside down in the movie too?”

“Yeah, sure, why the hell not?” Ray answered honestly.

Jack looked above Ray’s head, “Well, here’s your chance.”

Ray turned around and found himself looking at a bright red and blue. Spiderman was indeed right behind him, upside down, hanging from the roof of the building. Ray face palmed in disbelief.

“I can’t fucking believe this shit right now.”

“He’s waiting for you to kiss him. You’d said you do it.” Jack reminded him.

“Right.” Ray groaned and reached forward to lower part of the mask the suspended man was wearing. The fabric was bunched at the bridge of Spiderman’s nose.

Honestly, the fact that this idea was insane clued Ray into knowing it was Joel’s idea, but the jaw that was revealed underneath proved it. The rectangular shape and the slight stubble was none other than Joel’s. Not to mention that all-knowing shit-eating grin that Ray had grown accustomed to was plastered on "Spiderman’s" face.

“You stupid fuck.” Ray whispered.

The work that went into this little prank had to be rewarded. It had to be. And if Spiderman wanted to be kissed like in the movie, he was going to get kissed like the movie.

Ray gently placed both hands on the sides of Joel’s head and attacked Joel’s bottom lip. His lips formed perfectly to the shape of Joel’s mouth. Joel still hadn’t gotten rid of their slightly-chapped quality. Ray pulled back Joel’s lip and moved forward again, shifting downwards to Joel’s top lip. Ray’s heart was thundering in his chest, a feeling he wasn’t quite expecting. He meant to play it as a joke, but when Joel started kissing back, the joke disappeared. The slight shudder against Joel’s chin, the hitch of Joel’s breath, straight from the movie, yet completely real.

Ray yanked his mind out of Joel’s lips and separated. Looking at Joel’s mouth, there was no shit eating grin. There was no laugh to be had. Only Joel’s slightly open mouth. Caught between being unsure of what happened, and debating on asking for more.

Ray didn’t give Joel the chance to figure himself out. He pivoted, and with a “Goodbye Spiderman” he left.

\--

The last time Ray’s heart beat thundered this loudly was when he almost died in a car wreck years ago. The last time his chest ached this hard was when he had a lung infection.

When the fuck did he fall for that funny tall street ‘magician’? When had those toothy smiles and stupid tricks mean this much to him?

When had he become so hungry for Joel’s lips?

Well, luckily for Ray, he wasn’t the sort to dwell on questions where the answers didn’t matter. He fell for Joel, and really, the easiest thing to do was go take care of it. He accepted that he really liked Joel, and that he was going to sweep that man off his feet and claim those tricky lips as his own.

Of course, the week he’d had to wait before his eyes would be set on Joel again was probably the busiest he’d ever been. One project and paper after another, he couldn’t even afford the time to think about how he’d sweep Joel off his feet. So now he was wandering near that fated crosswalk, with no plan in mind, other than straight up telling Joel how he felt. There’s a finesse to these things, you know?

You can’t just find a dude and start making out with him in the middle of the street.

Although, he really could try that.

The accursed crosswalk grew closer step, and he decided that pre-planning was going to go right out the window. That kind of shit never goes well anyway, so why start trying now. He held his head high and started looking for Joel.

A neon green sign caught his attention this time.  In giant black sharpie letters, the sign read, “Quick! If your name is Ray Narvaez Jr, you need to come kiss me, it’s urgent!” Of course, behind the sign was none other than that lovely Joel. The only Joel whose lips stole an entire heart.

For a moment, Ray wondered how in the hell Joel found out his entire name, but that really didn’t matter, it? What mattered is that Joel was making it clear that he wanted Ray too. It wasn’t hidden behind some quirky trick, but on display in clear letters.

But you know what? One goofy last game wouldn’t hurt.

Ray ran the length of the crosswalk to get to the other side, desperate to get to him.

“My name is Ray Narvaez Jr! I will kiss you!” Ray shouted as he bounded over to Joel’s front.

Joel’s face was washed with relief, “Oh thank god! I was worried that I wouldn’t make it!”

“What seems to be the problem, sir?” Ray had to ask.

“Oh, it’s the absolute worst!” Joel put a hand on his chest, “My heart was stolen from me, and the only way I could get it back is through a kiss!”

“Thank god I was here then!”

“Thank god, indeed!”

Ray closed his eyes and tilted his chin up, waiting for Joel to lean over and kiss him. He waited for one of those strawberry sweet pecks that held a fleeting moment of magic behind them. A kind of magic that made his lips ache with loneliness for six days straight. The kind of kiss that had his heart beating through his chest. A sharing of warmth that not even the blazing sun can recreate. A kiss that would start a snowball effect. From pecks to tongue, to grabbing of clothes in a burning hot passion. He wanted that kiss that would seal the deal.

Joel’s long fingers ran their way through Ray’s hair to hold him still. A gentle touch that burned across his scalp. Ray’s heart rate was already skyrocketing with this sign of what was to come. A bump of noses, a sharing of breath, the scent of each other between them An experimental nibble, one last chance for Ray to back out. But there was no way he was going to. Not with this binding heat. A real kiss was placed on Ray’s lips and he attached himself. A melding of lips and skin that stole the very air out of his lungs. It made a mess out of Ray, and from the way Joel’s hands had moved to cling to Ray’s clothes, he was in no better shape.

Once they ran out of air, the two pulled apart. Their chests where heaving and their bodies tingled with excitement.

“For my final trick, I will steal my heart back.” Joel breathed, his arms lingering on Ray’s shoulders.

Ray smacked him on the arm, “You fucking idiot.”

**Author's Note:**

> All tricks and pranks are inspired/taken from Stuart Edge's videos.


End file.
